I know you say you don't mean to sound insulting, but I don't understand how you can think that telling me that my cover letter looks nothing remotely like a cover letter can be perceived as anything but extremely insulting and condescending. It is most certainly NOT a reiteration of my resume and you have no idea how many people tell me how refreshing it is not to read the same old stuff over and over again.

I wrote in my original post that my cover letter gets a huge reaction, I get tons of interviews and many, many people rave about it, including some very powerful and famous people in the industry.

I was clearly not asking for feedback on my cover letter and your tone, whether your meant it or not, was very condescending.

She wrote:

If you really do think you have a thick skin, you'll be kind enough to follow my request that you take a breather, and re-read everything BEFORE you judge so quickly, cruelly, AND ERRONEOUSLY. YOU MISUNDERSTOOD IN A MAJOR WAY. I deserve an APOLOGY, and here's why...

I HAD OFFERED TO HELP CONNECT YOU WITH A LOCAL PROMINENT THEATRE, and I HAD TOLD YOU I WANTED TO SEE YOUR CL AND RESUME because I WANTED TO LEARN from YOU. From the start, I DID EXPLAIN my reaction and FURTHERMORE, I backed it up in regards to what we were taught. I even wondered if teachings had CHANGED!!

I didn't understand it. Did you send an attachment? I am EXTREMELY HURT that YOU truly decided I was being rude!

I'd never seen a CL that read like a conversational version of a resume, and what someone could mistake for a personal letter! I was confused and only SHARING WITH you what was normal and acceptable to me...because I WANTED TO LEARN WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE HISTORICAL CL YOU GAVE ME THAT MADE YOU SUCH A SUCCESS!! I couldn't tell if it was a resume or a CL, because qualities of BOTH words were used as ELEMENTS IN THE CREATION OF THAT VERY GOOD...[whatever you call it].

I had SO LOOKED FORWARD to forging a bond with someone else who actually cares about the arts: Sometimes it feels like just me, LOL!

YOU ARE SO LUCKY IF IT WORKS FOR YOU, and it's nice to know what OTHERS FIND TO BE HELPFUL. Lashing out at me will not help in the job search dept., and I said I was offering my UNSOLICITED OPINION because I'd wanted from the beginning to HELP A FELLOW THEATRE-LOVER...but not one who lets anger color what could have been a great connection to someone else in the arts!!!!!!

Originally Posted by CanItBeChristine

CIBC... she sounds unstable. Hopefully she doesn't actually have any good connections because I wouldn't trust her not to say crazy things to them.

Originally Posted by Amneris

Do you think English isn't her first language???

Originally Posted by CanItBeChristine

I don't get that sense, though I guess it's possible - I think she's just a poor writer.

Get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me. -Muhammad Ali

CIBC, let me sum up: the woman asked your permission to read your CL. Neither you asked her for help nor she has ever mentioned her intent to help you. Right? It was a kind " may I read your CL, please?"? Or did I misinterpret something due to my language skills? Because I really have no clue, why this girl is now acting like a drama queen. Why does she abuse you not to appreciate the help you have never asked for and she, on her part, has never refered to.
I have a couple of acquaintances who loves giving recommendations even if nobody is interested in their opinion. Maybe is it a similar lovely personality who crossed your way?

"Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get" George Bernard Shaw

I have been looking for a job for about three months now. I have submitted numerous applications and only had one interview in which they ended up choosing someone else. I even got a feel emails from companies unable/ unwilling to give interviews stating positions had been filled. This is getting frustrating!! They say " person with customer service experience needed" or "some college experience" which i have but then i get emails or calls saying i don't have enough experience or dont meet the needs of the company!! Ugggghhh!!!! This sucks!!!

CIBC, let me sum up: the woman asked your permission to read your CL. Neither you asked her for help nor she has ever mentioned her intent to help you. Right? It was a kind " may I read your CL, please?"? Or did I misinterpret something due to my language skills? Because I really have no clue, why this girl is now acting like a drama queen. Why does she abuse you not to appreciate the help you have never asked for and she, on her part, has never refered to.
I have a couple of acquaintances who loves giving recommendations even if nobody is interested in their opinion. Maybe is it a similar lovely personality who crossed your way?

Originally Posted by Tati-Ana

That's pretty much it!

I had posted in my college's Facebook page where everybody posts jobs saying that I was looking and prefaced it that I get TONS of interviews and compliments on my resume/cover letter so that's not the problem. (Because in those situations, the first thing people assume is that you want help with your cover letter and resume!)

She asked to see this "famous" cover letter, I sent it to her, she posted in the group that she was "still waiting" for it, and I told her, "...I sent it to you already..." and that's when she told me it didn't resemble a cover letter.

Assists in creating and updating print and electronic publications and materials relating to the history of the House. Provides specialized historical reference and research assistance to Members, congressional staff, and the general public. Assists in the compilation and writing of historical information relative to the history of the U.S. House of Representatives, including biographical and bibliographic materials. Examines, assesses, and interprets evidence of past events and prepares material for possible inclusion in the official House historical files.
Requirements:

Temperament to communicate with a variety of personalities in a tactful, pleasant, and professional manner. The ability to edit and proofread documents, along with strong organizational, oral, and written communication skills is essential. Familiarity with HTML/SGML, ProQuest, and Lexis/Nexis coupled with experience utilizing Web sites and LIST/SERVS is required. At a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in either history, political science, public history, or related experience. Ability to work in a team-oriented work environment is required. Must be competent in the operation of IBM-PC compatibles, detail-oriented, and able to lift objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

Hiring for this position is governed by the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act. Applicants seeking veterans’ preference consideration should email veoa-iohr@mail.house.gov for further information.
Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactorily completing a criminal history records check. Employment with the U.S. House of Representatives is at-will. EOE.
Website:Vacancy Announcement · House.gov
Primary Category:
American History / Studies
Secondary Categories:
Government and Public Service
Political History / Studies
Political Science
Posting Date:
07/26/2011
Closing Date
08/15/2011

I came across this article on LinkedIn that I thought had good advice for our job-seeking curlies. I sure didn't know all these …

Here are 10 pieces of job-search advice that are now outdated and you should ignore:

1. You must use a landline for a phone interview. These days, many people don't even have access to a landline, so this advice has become unrealistic. It's still better to use a landline if you have one, but if you have to use a cell phone, check first to make sure that you're somewhere quiet with good reception and strong sound clarity.

2. Your resume can only be one page.At some point in the past, resumes were supposed to be limited to one page. But times have changed, and two-page resumes are common now. People with only a few years of experience should still stick to one page, but two pages are fine for everyone else.

3. Every job has to go on your resume to present a complete account of your professional history. Your resume is a marketing document, designed to present your candidacy in the strongest possible light. It doesn't need to be an exhaustive accounting of every job you've held.

4. Include "references available upon request" on the bottom of your resume.This is a convention from another time. These days, it's assumed that you'll provide references when asked and you don't need to explicitly say it. Including that line takes up space unnecessarily and feels dated.

5. Include an objective at the top of your resume. Let's ring the death knell for resume objectives. Hiring managers just don't care about them; they care about what you can do for them. Objectives never help, and can often hurt--if they aren't tailored enough to the position or even have nothing to do with it (which makes it look like you're blasting your resume out without enough of a focus). Most objectives, though, simply waste space. The trend now is to include highlights or a skills summary where objective used to go.

6. Invest in good resume paper.Don't invest in any resume paper. You should be submitting your resume electronically. The days of buying heavy stock to print resumes are over.

7. Overnight your resume to get the hiring manager's attention.If you overnight your resume--or even simply mail it--you'll only stand out as outdated. You'll also look like a nuisance, because a paper resume is near-impossible to enter into today's electronic application-tracking systems.

8. When your interviewer asks about your weaknesses, offer up a positive framed as a weakness.This has become such an interview cliché that your interviewer will assume you're being disingenuous. Interviewers have heard hundreds of people claim they're perfectionists or that they work too hard; try something new.

9. Your resume and cover letter should be written in formal language. These days, the best resumes and cover letters sound like you. Well, the best version of you--not the you who lounges on the couch eating chips. But conversational, slightly informal language is completely fine and generally more compelling than overly stiff, formal language.

10. A few days after you submit your resume, call to schedule an interview.Job-seekers don't get to decide to schedule the interview; employers do, and it's inappropriately pushy and not good salesmanship to pretend otherwise. These days, with hundreds of applicants for every opening, if every applicant called to follow up, employers would spend all day fielding these calls. Believe me, they don't want to.

Poor fiancee got turned down for a job that he didn't even get a chance to apply for!! He called Thursday(tge day the job was posted) and was told the lady was on holiday, and she'd call him Monday. Well Monday came and fiancee called her back and she said the position was filled at the weekend!! WTH!!! It was a job he could just walk into. It's a first that he gets turned down without even a chance to apply!!

CIBC, the way she went about telling you it was "missing" — did you include it, I don't see it — just smacks of cattiness, if you ask me.

What did she think all that text was going on about, pasted into your message?

Catty, catty, catty. Give me a break. I would put her on ignore or whatever.

Glad people are finding that article helpful. Here's another thing, when it comes to:

8. When your interviewer asks about your weaknesses, offer up a positive framed as a weakness.This has become such an interview cliché that your interviewer will assume you're being disingenuous. Interviewers have heard hundreds of people claim they're perfectionists or that they work too hard; try something new.